Miracles Never Cease
by Phoebe Miller
Summary: A missing scene and a sorta coda for 810. Steve visits Danny at the hospital twice.


_**Here I am, adding my own little diddy to 810. Part missing scene and part coda. Could be seen as pre-Slash, but mostly it's just Love. I hope you all enjoy.**_

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Steve stood in the doorway, watching Danny. His vision blurred a little and he rubbed his eyes. He hadn't been this exhausted in a long time. Bone weary. Like he wasn't even there, like this was all a dream.

But his best friend lay there, still under from the anesthesia. The doctor had acquiesced and allowed the rather convincing SEAL to see his best friend.

Steve wished he'd be able to sleep like that. Oblivious. But he wouldn't sleep much that night. Maybe not for the next few nights. Not without help. He pictured the bottle of Scotch Danny'd left at his place at Thanksgiving. They'd barely touched it. He'd drink to his best friend tonight...if he left the hospital.

Funny how they'd all been so keen on going home, having been cooped up in quarantine. Now, one long glance at his friend, and he didn't know if he could leave his side. Not until Danny woke up and yelled at him about something. Steve smiled. Admit it or not, egging his partner on was his favorite pastime.

He took one step, and then another, and found himself inches from Danny. Still no signs of waking. He'd hoped to catch a glimmer. But got nothing.

Slumping into the chair the nurse had set there for him, he resisted the urge to lean on the bed rail. Didn't want to jostle Danny. Afraid he might cause him more pain.

He looked at his hands. He'd scrubbed them clean, but he'd never forget. He could still hear Danny's garbled groan from when he'd pushed on his chest. The move had relieved the pressure, but had somehow transferred that pain to Steve himself. The intense feeling had spread up his arms and into his own chest, strangling his heart. Hurting his best friend like that had almost broken his resolve.

Steve didn't know how he'd been able to cut Danny open, except that he'd had an out of body experience. The kind you have during moments of such trauma. Training kicks in. Normal functioning ceases. It has to or - he looked away from his friend - people die if you give in to your emotions. And no way was Danny dying on his watch.

He loved Danny. There was no denying they were more than work partners. Not much was ever said beyond playful teasing and snide remarks. But they knew. Hell, everyone knew their relationship was special. Though lately, something had changed.

Danny had put up a wall.

And Steve knew why.

He understood. _He got it_. He really did.

Danny was still afraid of getting too comfortable with good things. No matter how much he worked to be more positive. It was okay. Steve knew how hard his friend tried. He loved him even more for the effort. But Danny would be Danny, and acknowledging anything good meant it was possibly already slipping away. This broke Steve's heart.

But he still felt what he felt. He loved Danny.

And if this infuriatingly stubborn, frustrating man died, Steve would die too. A part of him anyway. The good parts for sure.

His thoughts drifted to a gauzy memory of getting shot himself. Danny's voice had been his anchor until he could hold on no longer. He'd hoped he'd done that for Danny.

Steve slid the chair closer, careful not to make any noise, holding his breath as he watched Danny.

And he did something he knew he might never do again.

He ran his fingers through Danny's hair. Gently, lightly. Relieved to feel warm skin. His best friend was alive. _Thank God_ , Steve sighed. _Thank everyone_.

He let his hand linger, sliding down to cup Danny's chin. Finding a pulse thrumming strongly. His eyes watered again, and he bit the inside of his bottom lip to keep from sobbing like a baby.

"I'll find out who did this to you, Danno. I will."

Danny sighed and moaned lightly in response.

"Danny?"

His eyes fluttered and he turned his head into Steve's hand.

"Buddy, you there?"

There was nothing more.

"Alright, you rest."

A sound at the door alerted him to another presence. Lou stood there, a grim, serious look clouding his eyes. Cop Face, Danny would have said. He nodded at Steve and disappeared into the hall.

"I gotta go. I promise I'll be back."

He caressed Danny's cheek, rubbing a circle with his thumb.

"I love you."

Steve watched Danny for a few seconds, hoping to get another response. But nothing came.

/././

"Hey, you're up." Steve couldn't hide his pure delight at seeing Danny awake and finally alone in his room.

"Yea been waiting for you."

"Me?" Steve raised an eyebrow and slid into the chair.

"Of course, you. Now spill it. Find anything?"

"No, uh, how did you -"

"Eric was here. Babbled something about a lead." Danny cleared his throat and closed his eyes.

Steve pushed a straw to his friend's lips. "Take a sip."

Danny obeyed and they were quiet for a minute or two.

"No, we didn't find anything."

"Liar."

Keeping anything from his best friend was a waste of time, but Steve still hadn't fully processed recent events. The quarantine had worn him down. A quick scratch of his almost bald head reminded him. He'd never been so bored. And then - his chest tightened to think about it - and then Danny'd been shot by a mystery man. Not having answers now made him crazier than the boredom. So he stalled a little. "Danny...come on. We can talk about this later."

His partner wasn't in the mood. "Tell me, Steven."

And he caved maybe a little too easily.

"There was a picture of you." Steve looked away. "It said you deserved to die."

Danny winced and took a few slow breaths.

"You need me to get someone?" Steve jumped out of his chair.

"Would you relax? Please?" Danny waved him away. "I'm alright. Just - just wish I knew the guy."

"Yea, we hit a dead end." Steve frowned at his own words.

"Me too. Almost." Danny flashed the briefest of smiles. "Too soon?"

"Forever too soon." Steve didn't want to seem angry or hurt, but he couldn't joke about what happened. Not now, and maybe not ever.

"I'm sorry." Danny reached for his partner, but let his hand fall when Steve crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm fine. Really, babe."

Steve nodded and offered Danny the water again. "Have a drink."

This time Danny pushed him away. Steve gave up and set the cup on the table before returning to his seat. Hands in his lap, he closed his eyes and relaxed. He didn't realize how close he was to the bed.

Until Danny touched his arm. Steve jerked awake and grabbed Danny's wrist.

"Hey." Danny's voice was soft, but tinged with an edge from the exertion of his efforts to comfort his best friend. "Thank you. For everything."

He let go of Danny, straightening.

"Anytime, partner." Steve threw up a wall of his own. Entertaining the reason for the thank you was simply too much for him to take right then. "That's what ohana does."

"I haven't said it enough but -" Danny stopped and made sure he had Steve's full attention.

"People say alotta things, Danno." Steve cringed at the hardness in his words. "And sometimes they don't."

The awkward moment stretched between them until Danny groaned and swore, taking too long to catch his breath. Too long for Steve anyway.

"Hey, what do you need? What can I get you? Danny?" On his feet again, Steve all but loomed over his partner, eyes frantic.

"Jeez." Danny chuckled through a wave of pain and nausea. "Just stop. Before you hurt yourself."

Shaking and nodding, Steve sat back down, mumbling as he slid the chair a few inches away from the bed. Like they suddenly needed space. "Okay...alright."

"I'm gonna be fine. Thanks to you. And Junior and Tani. Really."

"I don't need your thanks, Danny. It's what we do."

Danny chewed on his lip for a minute, studying his partner. When he spoke again, he was oddly serious. "You wanna do something for me. Anything?"

Steve stumbled over his next words, concern blooming again. "Yea, Danny, you know that."

"Run your fingers through my hair."

Their eyes met. Steve knew he was blushing. "You caught me."

"I caught you."

"How did you?"

"I knew you were there, babe. I just...knew."

Steve didn't ask him how he knew. He simply did what was asked of him.

Scooting the chair closer, he leaned in, eyes never leaving Danny's. Both men smiled hesitantly, like they weren't sure what was happening.

Then, Steve ran his hand through Danny's hair, adding a little pressure with his finger tips before again drifting down to cup his friend's face. Danny closed his eyes and turned into the touch, humming his approval.

"Don't tell anyone I let you do that." He muttered.

"Our secret, Danno." Steve almost added more but he noticed Danny had fallen asleep. He sat there for a few minutes, marveling at the miracle in front of him before heading home for the night.

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 _ **I have something for 811 brewing. Not sure if I'll add it to this one or post as a standalone. Thanks, as always, for reading.**_


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